KUALA LUMPUR – With Malaysia’s Parliament hung following Saturday’s general election, Malaysia’s King has decreed that all political parties must submit the names of their respective prime minister candidates by 2pm Monday.
The parties also have to declare their respective alliances to form a government, said comptroller of the Royal Household Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin, who said the Palace had received the results of the 15th General Election on Sunday afternoon.
Malaysia’s most closely-fought election lived up to its name, with rivals Pakatan Harapan (PH) and Perikatan Nasional (PN) emerging with the largest block of seats, neither of which were enough for them to form a simple majority government.
Datuk Seri Ahmad said it was clear that no political party has successfully obtained a simple majority to form a new government.
He said the heads of political parties and coalitions will be asked by Speaker of the Lower House of Parliament Azhar Harun, to negotiate among themselves to form a government and submit the names of the candidates the parties believed can command a parliamentary majority.
“The King’s decision on the formation of a new government and the appointment of the prime minister is final,” said Mr Ahmad.
He said Sultan Abdullah Ahmad Shah also reminded that the country needed a government that is stable, authoritative and with integrity to protect the welfare of the people and drive the nation’s prosperity agenda.
Both PH’s Anwar Ibrahim and PN’s Muhyiddin Yassin are currently in the race to form the federal government, with both leaders claiming to have the numbers to do so.
Tan Sri Muhyiddin said in the early hours of Sunday that his coalition would hold discussions with parties from Sabah and Sarawak to form the federal government but discounted the idea of working with arch-rival PH.
A few hours later, Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Openg flew to Kuala Lumpur to meet him and Parti Islam SeMalaysia president Hadi Awang – whose party is now the largest in Parliament – to “discuss the formation of a federal government”.
Tan Sri Johari leads Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), which took 22 of the state’s 31 parliamentary seat.
Datuk Seri Anwar has also claimed his PH coalition has in place a simple majority of more than 112 parliamentary seats.
